


Hair

by FoundlingMother



Series: On We Sweep With Threshing Oar [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Coming Out, Gen, Genderfluid Loki (Marvel), Life on the Asgardian Refugee Ship, Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Pre-Slash, Sibling Love, Thorki if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-03-10
Packaged: 2019-03-29 14:04:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13928619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoundlingMother/pseuds/FoundlingMother
Summary: Thor discovers Loki combing her hair.





	Hair

**Author's Note:**

> There's a bit of misgendering in the beginning. It's accidental on Thor's part, and he's quick to correct himself. Thought I'd warn people anyways, just in case.

The door to the en-suite facilities slides aside so Thor may exit. He hopes that Loki didn’t slip out to return to his own cabin or go to breakfast without him. Not for the first time, they’d worked late the night before, and Loki had fallen asleep in Thor’s room. Thor doesn’t mind; having Loki there keeps the worst of the nightmares at bay. He finishes tugging a tunic over his head, blinking at the sight he emerges to find.

There’s a woman sat at the end of the bed. They can only be Loki in female form. His dark hair, longer than when he looks like Thor’s brother, is drawn over one softer, but still prominent, shoulder. Loki utilizes the floor length mirror as he combs through knotted curls. The scene feels domestic, Loki brushing his hair and Thor fresh from bathing.

“What mischief have you planned, brother?” Thor asks, breaking the easy quiet of the cabin.

Loki’s frame tenses. He looks over at Thor, poorly masked discomfort etched across the feminine features. “Sister.” It’s a correction. Thor recognizes the tone of Loki’s voice, even at a higher pitch.

“Then, you are a woman.” He nods once to himself. This is not unheard of on Asgard, but Thor knows more of gender from spending time on Midgard. Thor will not allow Loki to suffer for being herself, and that begins with his unconditional support.

“For right now. I’ll be your brother again.” Thor’s heard of this on Midgard, too. “I did not take this form to make mischief. I simply decided to remain hidden no longer. I mean to always be myself,” Loki concludes. Her shoulders have relaxed, but her eyes remain wary.

“Alright. I believe I understand you, sister.” He steps towards her seated form. It feels like approaching a frightened animal. Thor still worries Loki will disappear in an instant, vanishing without a trace. He crouches in front of her, feeling the barest hint of her cool breath as it strikes his wet scalp. Thor catches her deceptively delicate looking hand. “You can’t have thought I would be cruel to you for this.” He doesn’t turn it into a question. He won’t imagine it’s a real possibility. How could Loki think so little of him? Why would she return if she did?

Loki’s lips twitch. “I expected you would trip over your words, oaf that you are. But no, I never thought you’d be cruel.” She watches Thor intertwine their fingers. The upraised tilt of her lips goes pursed. “I am not always governed by thoughts of you, Thor. I have other motivations.”

Thor doesn’t know if he should respond to that. It feels like an admonishment. This conversation is about Loki’s identity, and he wants to offer assurances. Thor wants Loki to feel his support. “I won’t permit any insult given to you.”

A bark of laughter escapes Loki. “And how do you mean to punish your subjects, a handful of homeless orphans, should they mock Princess Loki?” Her tone is full of cheerful curiosity.

Thor smiles. “You are my advisor. Have you any ideas?”

“Many,” Loki says, grinning fiendishly. She sobers her expression. “You do not change simple minds with harsh punishment. Reprimand them. Show your support for me. Your people love you, and they will follow your example.” Something tight in Thor’s gut releases at Loki’s gentle encouragement. He cannot help but reach up and tuck her hair behind her ear. “Unless they are Lord Ylfingr or Lady Geira. In their case, I’ve heard the Kronan would not turn away help maintaining the waste system. It appears there are leaks.”

Thor grins, bringing Loki’s hand to his lips. Affection wells within him. “I’ve missed you, Loki.”

Loki raises her eyebrows. “We have spent an inordinate amount of time in each other's company recently.”

“It cannot erase the years we’ve been apart,” Thor insists, squeezing Loki’s captured hand. To his surprise, Loki’s fingers clench in return. Her expression is fond. “You’re here. Words cannot express how I feel.”

“Do not expect things to be as they were,” Loki warns.

Thor nods. “We are different people now.” Homeless, orphaned, siblings in bond, but not in blood, and everything Thor thought he knew outright false or shadowed by doubts. Odin’s lies weigh heavy on his mind. Loki does not know the full extent of their father’s crimes. He takes a deep breath. “There are things we should discuss now that urgent matters have been seen to.”

Loki deflates. “Perhaps,” she admits. “However, I do not want to start now.” She pulls her hand away. “This moment has been good. I don’t want to spoil it with futile attempts at communication.” Thor’s not sure whether to feel happy that they’d shared a nice moment, or frustrated that Loki’s assumption about future communication, in all likelihood, will prove accurate.

She begins to comb her hair again. Thor lingers. Brushed closely like this, Loki’s hair is glossy like cat fur. Or Hela’s blades. Unbidden, similarities between his sisters spring to mind. Their outward appearances invite comparison due to their coloring. Anyone could mistake Hela and Loki for blood kin. There’s a common regal air or entitlement in the way they carry themselves, as well. Perhaps Thor shares it.

“What is it your mortals say? Take a picture, it will last longer?” Thor blinks. “It’s very rude to stare,” Loki says, but she does not look upset. She makes a valiant effort to wear a sour expression, but the indulgent smirk plays at the corners of her mouth.

Here lies the difference between Thor’s sisters. For all that Hela shares Odin’s blood, there’s no true bond between him and her. Loki does not look like Hela. Hela resembles Loki. Loki was first in his life. They share a millennium’s worth of memories.

“You used to brush mother’s hair, did you not?” Thor recalls.

“I did.” Grief chokes Loki’s voice. “It can be tricky to style your own hair.” Thor’s sure that’s not why Loki did it. A desire to be helpful is not what motivates Thor’s next suggestion.

“I could learn to help you. I already know how to plait hair.”

Thor beholds the look of surprise that passes over Loki’s face, and the playfulness that lingers. “But can you plait to my standards, brother?”

“I am certain I’m up to the task.”

“We shall see.” Mirth shines in Loki’s eyes. Thor thinks they are never more beautiful than this.

**Author's Note:**

> Why do I write stuff at 3:00 a.m.? Anyways, some of this doesn't make sense, I'm sure (you've no idea who those characters Loki hates are), but, if I ever finish other fics for this series, this will make sense. It's a good writing tactic to drop your readers into the middle of the plot, obviously.
> 
> I wanted a fluffy story of Loki coming out as genderfluid, so I wrote it, and I'm happy with it. The idea that Loki styled Frigga's hair is not mine. It comes from [here](https://thorkicraving.tumblr.com/post/170727508551/loki-headcanon-1-headcanon-that-loki-spent-time).  
>    
> [Tumblr](https://foundlingmother.tumblr.com/) | [Dreamwidth](https://foundlingmother.dreamwidth.org/) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/foundlingmother)


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